January 17 (date of publication): Jalen Hurts announced he was transferring from Alabama to Oklahoma. His lone season at OU was legendary, finishing second in Heisman voting and leading the Sooners to a Big 12 title and the playoffs.

April 22: A year after falling just short of an NCAA championship, all-around champ Maggie Nichols and the Sooners beat LSU on a Saturday night in Fort Worth, Texas, for the program's fourth national title and third in four seasons.

April 24: Damian Lillard didn't just end the season for the Thunder. He ended an era. His 37-foot shot at the buzzer of Game 5 gave the Trail Blazers a series-clinching 118-115 win in the first round of the playoffs en route to their run to the Western Conference finals.

April 26: Another year, another No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft from OU. The Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray, who became the first athlete to go in the top 10 of the NFL and MLB drafts after the Oakland A's took him 10th overall in 2018.

May 26: Oklahoma State ousted Florida State for its first trip to the Women's College World Series since 2011. OU crushed Northwestern in its super regional en route to a Bedlam win at the WCWS and championship series loss to UCLA.

July 7: Nothing good happens after midnight? The verdict remains out on the early-morning news July 6 that the Thunder were trading Paul George to the Clippers for Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round draft picks.

July 12: After Paul George left to join Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles, it was only a matter of time that Russell Westbrook's 11-year run in OKC would come to an end. The former MVP landed in Houston with OKC receiving Chris Paul and two picks.

September 12: T. Boone Pickens, the self-made billionaire who gave millions to Oklahoma State, died at age 91. The energy tycoon "was a rock star" in Stillwater thanks to his generosity, giving at least $652 million to his alma mater.

September 29: Any time you can have your name listed in the same sentence with Barry Sanders, you're doing something right. Chuba Hubbard did a lot of that in 2019, but his highlight was rushing for 296 yards in a 26-13 win against Kansas State.

November 17: With OU down 28-3 in the second quarter, the Sooners' playoff hopes appeared to be doomed. Jalen Hurts and the Sooners scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to stun Baylor 34-31 for the largest comeback in school history.

December 8: As far as sequels go, OU-Baylor II didn't disappoint. The Sooners survived the Bears in overtime 30-23 to win their fifth straight Big 12 title and locked up the fourth and final playoff spot in the process after losses by Utah and Georgia.

December 29: The Peach Bowl got ugly in a hurry for the Sooners, with Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow scoring eight touchdowns in a 63-28 rout in a College Football Playoff semifinal to set up a showdown with defending champion Clemson.

Jeff Patterson is the sports editor of The Oklahoman. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, he allegedly once told his father on a childhood trip passing through Oklahoma that he would one day live there. He doesn't recall this, but he fulfilled that...
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